#NEWPALMYRA Launches the #PALMYRAVERSE Building Campaign with LikeCoin Ethereum Tokens Paid to Artists

Columbus, Indiana — Today the #NEWPALMYRA project launched the #PALMYRAVERSE, with a global building campaign. The #PALMYRAVERSE is an online space where monuments from Palmyra come together across time and space. The campaign sets a monthly prompt for artists, designers, technologists, and researchers to come together and create for the #PALMYRAVERSE with 3D modeling, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality. Each month, a rotating panel of judges from the fields of art, cultural heritage, and technology will select the top three works for prizes. Starting Monday, October 1st, artists and Makers are invited to create works inspired by the Temple of Al-Lat and submit them on newpalmyra.org. Winners will be announced November 1.

The judges for the first round of works are Razan Al-Hadid, Public Lead at Creative Commons Jordan and Independent Art History Researcher, London based technologist and educator Mahmoud Max Wardeh, and Majd Al-shihabi, Palestinian-Syrian urban planning graduate, developer of Palestine Open Maps, and recipient of the first Bassel Khartabil Free Culture Fellowship.

“#NEWPALMYRA has produced five models monuments destroyed in Palmyra, Syria, starting with the Temple of Bel, Triumphal Arch, Roman Theatre, and Baalshamin,” said Barry Threw, Executive Director of #NEWPALMYRA. “Most recently released was the Tetrapylon, made in collaboration with Creative Commons and re:3D, the largest 3D printed column structure in the world. #NEWPALMYRA also created the first 3D model added to Wikipedia, the Lion of Al-Lat. Our announcement today is a drive to complete the monuments from Palmyra, but a pledge to open up the possibility of a future space where all may collaborate, with incentives in cryptocurrencies to fuel work.”

In support of the #PALMYRAVERSE project, #NEWPALMYRA has partnered with the LikeCoin Foundation, who plan to provide technology to support feedback on submissions from the community-at-large.

“At LikeCoin Foundation, we are reinventing the like. We are proud to support the creators of #PALMYRAVERSE monuments – not just through technology support, but also our LikeButton, which rewards creators daily for their likes,” said Kin Ko, co-founder of the LikeCoin Foundation. “Submissions to the #PALMYRAVERSE could receive LikeCoin incentives daily as users engage with monuments through our system and also larger rewards for selections made by judges.”

The #NEWPALMYRA #PALMYRAVERSE announcement is released today at the Exhibit Columbus National Symposium, an annual conference of architecture, design and art with specific focus on cultural architectural preservation. #NEWPALMYRA Executive Director, Barry Threw will present the current status of the project and explain in more detail the future of #NEWPALMYRA and the #PALMYRAVERSE. Also, on special exhibition during the conference is the 7.5-feet-tall Tetrapylon.

“The #NEWPALMYRA project is a tremendously meaningful preservation effort and we are honored to have Barry Threw attending our symposium this year,” said Richard McCoy Director of Landmark Columbus the parent organization of Exhibit Columbus. “#PALMYRAVERSE is an innovative way to continue growing this global project to care for cultural heritage.”

Building a Future upon the Past

Digital Archeology

Collecting data from international partners, analyzing it, creating a reconstruction of Palmyra in virtual space, and sharing the models and data in the public domain. We are using digital tools to preserve heritage sites.

Cultural Development

Hosting live workshops and building a network of artists, technologists, archaeologists, architects, and others to research, construct models, and create artistic works. We create exhibitions and experiences in museums and institutions globally, celebrating the cultural heritage of Syria and the world through the lens of architecture embodying culture and power.

Open Data

Helping to advance open data policies in museums and institutions through advocacy, education, and consultation.

Together with our international affiliates, #NEWPALMYRA sources archaeological and historical data, shares it with the community, and outputs art exhibitions, salons, and creative works using this data to carry the rich history of Palmyra forward to new generations.

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We’re looking for contributors of all sorts: 3D modelers, archaeologists, artists, curators, developers, educators, journalists, researchers, wikimedians. How you can help now: